Nationally Renowned

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In a few weeks I get, as my buddy Pops calls it, an ego boost.

I'm heading off to Vegas to do my annual safety stand-up act in front of a bunch of insurance and construction people.

It is an ego boost because I do try for a healthy amount of laughs, and I have gathered plenty of material to get those hearty chuckles, and I do love doing it...

...but ego might not be my thing, totally.

I saw an ad that was sent out to hype the event.

It spoke of laughter and learning, but there was a bad photo of me...

...and a title that said:

"Nationally Renowned Safety Expert."

Uncomfortable!!

To be fair, I've never considered myself to be anything other than a construction guy.

Most of the success I've had in the field has to do with getting up, day after day after day,  and going to the places where they're working...

...and trying to help...

...with a little laughter mixed in...

...and a lot of documentation.

It's funny, but last week I got trapped in a snowstorm, I drove hundreds of miles and saw a bunch of sites.

My back felt like plywood on Thursday night as I got into the hotel bed. My legs were electrified. I texted my Friday customer.

"Don't look for me early! I'm exhausted!!"

On Friday, early in the morning I stood next to an iron worker foreman as he swung steel in the bitter cold.

I felt good being out there. I've known the foreman for 20 plus years.

His steel erection zone was set up absolutely perfectly...

...a guy doing his job right.

We talked about how old we're getting to be out there...he was banged up and limping.

"I can't imagine ever sitting in an office," he said.

And then, because he was in the crowd last year during my speech he asked me:

"You're going back to Vegas, right?"

"Yeah. Just booked it."

"That's good," he said. "You make a great speech."

That's better than being 'Nationally Renowned', right?

We wished each other a 'Merry Christmas' and then limped off in opposite directions.

Life is about showing up.

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